Airplane toys



Aug. 25, I F. PETTlT Q AIRPLANE TOYS Filed July 6, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR FpfiNK PET 'r/r BY flTTORNEY Aug. 25, 1959 F. PETTIT 2,901,251

AIRPLANE TOYS Filed July 6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Q0/Vl( 7 5?r/ 7' 60 k 211 r ATTORNEY F. PETTIT AIRPLANE TOYS Aug. 25, 1959 FiledJuly 6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 YINVENTOR FPAM/K PETr/T B )M/Z ATTORNEYUnited States Patent AIRPLANE TOYS Frank Pettit, Union, NJ.

Application July 6, 1955, Serial No. 520,228 6 Claims. Cl. 272-31 Thepresent invention relates to airplane toys and is more particularlydirected toward tethered airplane toys each having a motor-driven,propeller-actuated unit revolvable about a vertical axis and capable ofbeing maneuvered by external controls.

The present invention contemplates tethered toy airplanes designed sothat one can equip the tethered toy with a toy helicopter which can bemaneuvered to raise, lower, hover, fly forward, or fly backward, or witha conventional toy airplane which can be flown round and round, stunted,looped, or flown upside down.

Accordingly, the present invention contemplates constructions in whichit is possible to detachably secure either a conventional toy airplaneor a toy helicopter to the end of the revolving arm which circles thepylon. The invention also contemplates the provision of means wherebythe maneuvering of the toy, when equipped with a toy helicopter, islimited in a manner similar to that of a helicopter in flight.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an airplane toyof the type described with means for effecting the lifting of a loadfrom a toy landing field and transporting this load to a receivingdevice. Typically, the load may be a toy manikin and the receiver may bea litter. The load is provided with a magnet; the toy airplane with amagnetizable member adapted to pick up the load and the receiver, orlitter is of larger mass and magnetizable so that it will attract andhold the load when the toy airplane is flown away.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, one of the many embodiments in which the invention may takeform, it being understood that the drawings are illustrative of theinvention rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the airplane toy showing themovable parts in various positions when using a toy helicopter;

Figure 1a is a fragmentary view of the toy when arranged for operating aconventional airplane;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the helicopter equipped airplane toy ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the turntable and associatedparts at an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view with parts in section on theline 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal, vertical sectional view through atoy helicopter showing a propeller drive;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

' Figure 7 is a perspective view of a coupling device;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view through a toy airplane ofconventional type, showing a propeller drive;

Figure 9 is a transverse, vertical sectional view on lin 9--9 of Figure8; t

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views illustrating themaneuvering of the toy helicopter;

Figure 13 is an enlarged side elevational view of th helicopter andmagnetic load showing the picking up of the load when the toy helicopteris hovering over it;

Figures 14 and 15 are side elevational views of the toy helicopter inflight, Figure 14 showing it moving forward and Figure 15 showing itmoving backward; and

Figure 16 is a fragmentary view illustrating the deposit of the load onthe magnetizable platform.

The airplane toy shown herein utilizes many of the parts shown in myPatent 2,699,334, granted January 11, 1955. The toy is in the form of aroundabout having a supporting tower or pylon 20 adapted to rest on alanding field F. At the top of the pylon or tower is a turntable 25which may be the same as the turntable 25 of the above patent. Theturntable is rotatably mounted on the pylon and is connected to acontroller -C similar to the controller in said patent, whereby thecurrent for operating the motor may be controlled and the stuntingoperations of the toy may be effected. The turntable 25 has sidebrackets 31 and 32 provided with aligned holes or openings to receivethe pivot members 38 and 39 of the assemblage 40 which revolves with theturntable about the vertical axis thereof. This assemblage is not shownin detail but may be made as indicated in the aforesaid patent.

The assemblage 40 is arranged to carry a tube 54, one end of which issecured to the housing or stator 55 of a motor M. The other end of thetube 54 is bent through as indicated at 57, and is provided with spacedcollars 57, 57. It is passed laterally into a slot 58a in the body of aconventional airplane 58 (Fig. 9) or into a slot 58b in the body of ahelicopter H (Fig. 5), and secured in place by a clip 58'. As hereshown, the tube 54 carries a resilient cylinder 61 adapted to be engagedby a vertically reciprocable and manually rotatable annular member 72 toefiect angular movement of the cylinder 61, the motor stator and theairplane about the axis of the tube 54 as shown in said patent.

The rotor of the motor M is connected to a flexible shaft 60 whichtraverses the tube 54and is secured to a coupling 90 by screw 91 (Fig.7). This coupling has a squared portion 92 and a rod-like end 93, forconnection with the propeller 59, of the conventional airplane.

The helicopter body H (Fig. 5) carries a yoke 94 in which is mounted ashaft 95 having a squared opening 96 to accept the squared portion 92 ofthe coupling 90 so as to be driven thereby. The shaft 95 has a gear 97in mesh with a gear 98 which drives an upwardly extending shaft 99 andpropeller 190. i

The operation of flying the helicopter type of toy instead of the moreconventional type of airplane may be substantially the same as that forflying the airplane as discussed in the above patent, except thatconsiderable skill is required to avoid turning the helicopter too farin either direction from the hovering position. In order to preventturning the tube 54 and parts carried thereby through too great anangle, the assemblage 40 is provided with two spaced pins 101, 101 andthe tube 54 carries a slider .103 adapted to be shifted between the fullline and dotted line positions indicated in Figure 4. When it is in thedotted line position, the slider 103 will not engage the pins 101, 101and the toy may be manipulated to execute complete loops, as describedin the above patent. When, however, the slider 103 is pushed to the fullline position of Figures 3 and 4, it enters between the pins 101, 101'limits the angular movement of the tube 54, and of the airplane. Thisarrangement is particularly desirable for the purpose of limiting themaneuvering of the toy helicopter between angles such that thehelicopter moves forward and angles such'that it moves backward.

. In order to facilitate maintaining the adjustment such that the toyhelicopter will hover, the assemblage 40 and the Slider 103 are providedwith cooperative means such as a bump on one part and a dent, indicatedby the dotted circle 104, in the other part so located that thehelicopter is held at the angle to hover, raise, lower or land dependingon motor speed.

,In order that the toy may be utilized to simulate transportation oroperations, the body of the airplane, whether helicopter or the moreconventional type of airplane, is provided with amagnetiz-able, pendantmember 110, hinged to be freely attractable out of the hanging position.A load, such as a toy figure or manikin 111, is placed on the field F insuch a position that when the toy airplane is lowered close to thefield, it can be maneuvered to bring the freely hanging magnetizablememher 110 close enough to the figure 111 to be within the field of themagnet 112 (Fig. 16) carried by this figure. The magnet will swing themagnetizable member 110 and if the toy airplane is low enough the member110 becomes magnetically coupled with the manikin. When the -airplane isnow flown, the load is carried by the plane, whether helicopter orconventional plane.

, At another suitable location on the field F, where the plane can loweronto it is placed a litter or stretcher 113 made of magnet-izablematerial, and, inasmuch as this litter or stretcher has greaterattraction for the magnet II-Zthan the small member 110, the magneticfigure 111 is attracted to the litter and held by it so securely thatwhen the helicopter or airplane flies away, it leaves the toy; figurebehind, thereby having executed a rescue operation.

Figures 10, .11 and 12 illustrate some of the maneuvers throughwhich thetoy helicopter may be passed.

In Figure 1 the helicopter is shown in full lines in a random landedposition on the field. I

If the adjustment is for hovering, the plane may be raised vertically,as shown in Figure :10, then tilted forward and caused to circle aboutthe center of the pylon and maneuvered to a position where it can thenbe caused to hover and the speed reduced to lower it on to the magneticload, such as a figure or manikin, a mail bag, or other such object.Having taken hold of the magnetic load as shown in Figure '1 1-,propeller speed may be increased and the airplane raised, caused tocircle the, pylon and then brought to a position where it can be loweredto deposit the load on to the litter. This is shown in Figure 13. p

Figure 14 illustrates the operation of flying away after completing therescue operation and again landing on the field.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other formsand constructions within the scope of the claims, -'I wish it to beunderstood that the particular forms shown are but a few of the formsand, various modifications and changes being possible, 1 do nototherwise limit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial toycomprising a toy landing field, a pylon, an arm, atoyhelicopter having an arm'receiving opening therein and detachablysecured to the arm at an end thereof by clip means .-slidably engagingthe helicopter body 'to hold the arm within the opening, said helicoptertieal axis, mounting means securing the arm to the pylon for rotationabout a vertical axis and for limited movement about a horizontal axis,whereby the helicopter may circle about the pylon and raise and lower,said arm mounting means further including means whereby the helicopterbody may be tilted to vary the angle of axis of rotation of thepropeller each side of the vertical to cause the helicopter to hover, orfly forward or backward, said helicopter having a pendant magnetizablemember, and a load on the landing field in a position to have the toyhelicopter lowered close to it, the load including a magnet to attractthe magnetizable member whereby the load may be lifted by the toyhelicopter and carried away by it.

2. The toy of claim 1, having a magnetizable load receiver on the fieldin a position to have the helicopter deposit the load thereon.

3. A toy for simulating aerial transportation comprising a load to betransported and including a piece of magnetized material, a relativelylarge magnetizable receiver, a propeller driven, toy aerial vehiclehaving a relatively small pick up member of magnetic material, motormeans to drive the propeller at variable speeds, remote control meansfor controlling propeller speed and for maneuvering the toy vehicle whenin flight to place it in position to have the pick up and loadmagnetically couple, for causing the vehicle to fly away with the load,and for causing the vehicle to place the load on the receiver. 7

4. An aerial toy comprising a landing field, a pylon, an arm, mounting'r'n'eans for securing the arm to the pylon for rotation about avertical axis and for limited movement about a horizontal axis, a toyairplane secured to the free end of the arm and adapted when at rest tobe supported by the landing field, the airplane havmg a motor drivenpropeller for driving the same about the pylon, means for varying theangle of attack of the airplane propeller whereby the airplane may alsoraise and lower, a pendant of magnetic maten'al carried by the airplane,a load capable of being transported by the toy airplane and adapted tobe placed in the field closely adjacent the path of the pendant when theairplane circles the field, the load having a magnet to which thependant adheres, and a load receiving station of magnetic material andof greater mass than said pendant adapted to be placed on the field atanother point along said path and having greater attraction for the loadwhen placed thereon than the pendant member so that the airplane may bemoved away from said station and leave the load behind. e

5. An aerial toy comprising a pylon, an arm, a toy "aircraft having 'anreceiving opening therein, a pair of .spaced collars adjoining one endof said arm, said opening receiving said one end of the arm, a clipslidably engaging the aircraft body in one position for holding the armin place in said opening to restrict longitudinal movement of said oneend of the arm relative to the aircraft and movable to another positionfor removing the aircraft from the arm, said clip when in said oneposition engaging said arm and adjoining body portions of the aircraftto at least partially close said opening between the collars andextending between the collars with the edges of the clip in slidableengagement with the collars, a motor driven propeller on said aircraft,a pair of trunnicns carried by said arm, trunnion receiving meanscarried by the pylon, said trunnions securing 'thhe armto the pylon forrotation about a vertical axis and for limited movement about -ahorizontal axis whereby the aircraft may circle about the pylon and raise and lower, said arm mounting means further including means fortilting the aircraft body to the pitch of the aircraft and its directionof flight.

6. An aer-ial .toy having a tubular arm provided with at least twospaced collars near one end thereof, a flexible shaft in said arm, acoupling member secured to said shaft and extending beyond the end ofthe arm, a toy aircraft having an arm receiving opening with said oneend of the arm disposed in said opening, a clip slidably engaging saidaircraft body in one position to hold the arm in said opening andmovable to another position for removing the aircraft from the arm, saidclip when in said one position engaging said arm and adjoining bodyportions of the aircraft to at least partially close said openingbetween the collars and extending between the collars with the sideedges of the clip in slidable engagement with the collars to secure saidaircraft to said arm and restrict axial movement of said arm relative tothe aircraft body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,067,258 Christiansen Jan. 12, 1937 2,067,828 Christiansen Jan. 12,1937 2,451,006 West Oct. 12, 1948 2,472,556 West June 7, 1949 2,623,774Hubbard Dec. 30, 1952 2,699,334 Pettit Jan. 11, 1955

